The Red Sea Trip

Eilat to Port Ghalib

A happy New Year to everyone and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas with lots of food, drink and presents.

It seems a long time since I have had some peace to sit at the computer and write something. I am often asked how I spend my time and do I not get bored, some chance.

At present I am in Safaga, 26º 47.42N, 033º 56.47E, on the Red Sea coast of Egypt and a little way south of Hurghada.

Israel was a surprise and not what I expected, although I was not sure what to expect.. Still we had a good time there.

We took a 4 day trip to Jerusalem and visited Bethlehem. Both were wonderful and well worth the visit. The old town of Jerusalem is a maze of narrow streets with wonderful fruit markets etc. The four quarters were all quite different which is surprising when they are all so close within the walled city.

Bethlehem was a much more relaxed atmosphere but very few tourists, a shame as it is a nice town. The church of the nativity was wonderful with monks holding candles and chanting in the cave where Christ was said to have been born. Very moving.

We travelled back from Jerusalem to Eilat on the 23^rd intending to shop for a turkey on the 24^th. On the coach I was sitting next to an Israeli girl and talking about Christmas and the fact we were shopping the next day only to be reminded that ALL the shops were shut and we could not get a turkey. She rang here sister in Eilat and asked her to try to find a turkey for us. This she did after apparently almost breaking into the shop and persuading the shop owner to sell one to her. I heard after from her that this turkey became quite a talking point in her family with relations ringing up asking about it.

She brought it to the marina the next day for us. What a surprise when I found it weighed 7kg!! Would it fit into the oven? Luckily it did, just, with it touching the sides. 6 hours cooking. It was stuffed with a chestnut and mushroom stuffing. It came out really well. We saved what was left and had it for New Year’s dinner.

Because I have French crew and cruising with a French boat we had a French Christmas with the dinner and presents on Christmas eve. Fairy lights, decorations and an illuminated fibre optic tree that Jacques bought made it all very festive. A wonderful party.

The trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was a surprise. The Israelis have built an enormous wall, 3 meters into the ground and 8 meters high between Palestine and Israel. To pass through you have to go through a labyrinth of security checks with armed soldiers everywhere.

That was the other thing about Israel, in the streets, shops and shopping malls there were people in civilian cloths walking about with automatic rifles over their shoulder. Apparently the soldiers off duty have to keep there weapons with them at all times. On the coach there was always an armed guard. Most places you had to go through a metal detector and be searched before you could enter. Always soldiers with automatic rifles. All very disconcerting.

We left Eilat on the 27^th because it was necessary to check into Egypt at a place called Taba Heights and it is only a small harbour and was hosting a New Year party for dive boats and would be full of dive boats and impossible to get into over the new year. It was also very cold here so we wanted to find some warmer weather for the new year. Also one could not say to much about the marina.

Two days later we were back in the lovely coral reefs near El Gouna in a Marsa (inlet) called Endeavour. There we had a wonderful party and welcoming in the new year. Then on the first it was Guido’s (the Dutchman on Miss Cat) birthday and on the second it was Jean Jacques birthday.

I managed to get a big woven plastic bag around one propeller a few miles before our halfway stop which made handling of the boat difficult but got into the harbour at Dahab OK. Jean Jacques dived and cleared it without to much trouble.

We then went into Abu Tig Marina at El Gouna for one night for provisions etc. A very nice marina and where I propose to spend a couple of months before I return to Turkey. From there we anchored on a coral reef for a couple of nights before stopping at Hurghada and then Safaga.

At the moment there are very strong winds here but it a safe anchorage and not to rolly.

Next stop is Port Ghalib from where the trips into Egypt will mostly be from. We are due there on the 15^th and as it is a new marina we have a dinner party to attend on the 16^th.

Still with my French crew as you see. Pictured at the Dutch ambassadors house.